Thonock Park is the UK’s first club to invest in Toro’s Turf Pro autonomous mowers.
Following its decision to move to robots in New Year 2025, the Lincolnshire club was introduced to the line at the BTME January launch and bought five ‘500s’ from local Toro dealer Russells Groundcare to cut fairways and rough on 18 of Thonock Park’s 36 holes. General manager Benjamin Hatch said the club was “exceptionally pleased” with quality of cut and the definition between fairway and rough.
Robot technology requires specialist training to ensure clubs optimise its potential. Lee Rowbotham, GeoLink and digital specialist at Toro sole UK distributor Reesink Turfcare, held post-install sessions with the club and Russells.

Smart App control
“We were at the point of delivery to install the chargers and base station. The mowers are blind out of the box, so training involves telling them where the charging station is, the route to the fairways, safe areas and not safe areas, and for the team to understand the operation and terminology.”
Once set up, course manager Rob Acheson was shown how to control all five mowers through the Smart App – a process Lee likens to irrigation sprinkler control. “They are controlled individually, one at a time, and can be set up in advance,” he says. “Just like you can set a sprinkler to come on at 5am, you can set the Turf Pros to start mowing at 10pm once everyone has gone home if you wish.”
And that’s a key advantage in actioning course maintenance ahead of play. All fairway mowing can be completed before the course opens, supported by “the almost non-existent noise levels”, Benjamin confirms, and the club has redefined the team’s job requirements and can guarantee all-year round value.

Reassigning duties
“The mowers have enabled us to reassign some of our skilled greenkeeping team to other tasks on the course that require more specialist work. During wetter months, we expect to keep using them, when ordinarily we would struggle to use the much heavier diesel machines.”
Russells has recruited two staff dedicated to demonstrating and installing its autonomous mowing offerings to customers, including private properties, estates, schools, golf courses and other sporting venues.
Groundcare sales manager Mark Willerton says: “Autonomous mowers are an important part of our future business and it’s something we’re investing heavily in with dedicated specialist staff and demonstration machines.
www.reesinkturfcare.co.uk

Course manager Rob Acheson, centre, with Mason Sleight, left, and Glen Sawyer, both from Russells Groundcare.